Digital Strategy Paves Way for Flooring America / Flooring Canada to
Become the Most Recommended Flooring Company in North America

Leverages technology to influence consumers at the point of purchase
and beyond

December 10, 2012 09:25 AM Eastern Standard Time

MANCHESTER, N.H.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Flooring
America/Flooring Canada, a division of CCA Global Partners the
nation’s largest floor covering cooperative, announced the launch of its
comprehensive digital marketing program that is designed to empower its
more than 500 independent retailers to leverage technology which will
influence consumers at the point of purchase.

A recent report from Nielsen
shows that 90% of consumers say that recommendations from personal
acquaintances or consumer opinions posted online influence their buying
decisions. “People trust friends and online reviews from consumers.
These recommendations are more important than what we have to say about
ourselves,” said Keith Spano, President of Flooring America. “This
represents a huge opportunity for Flooring America’s retailers to
leverage the voice of their local community while leveling the playing
field against the big box behemoths in the industry by capitalizing on
the recommendations and referrals of friends.”

This program is designed to support the sales professional and enhance
the customer experience simultaneously. This is achieved by using the
latest technological tools to syndicate social media content for each
participating Flooring America/ Flooring Canada store. As the content is
spread out through multiple social mediums, it educates and engages
local consumers, helping the sales professional recommend the right
product once they enter the showroom. Also on the local level, it gives
each store its unique voice, which is important when targeting a select
demographic.

According to Frank Chiera, VP of Marketing at Flooring America, who
spearheaded the new digital strategy, “our goal is to become the most
recommended flooring store in every market that we serve. At the end of
the day, it is about earned media not paid media. By empowering our
independent retail members with best-in-class technology -- from the
FAST program to the My Floor Story app—we’re providing a way for members
to build stronger relationships with customers on a local level, while
simultaneously creating enormous awareness for the Flooring America
brand nationally.”

The three major elements of the program include:

FAST (Flooring America Social Tools): a turnkey, local social
media management, monitoring and customer engagement platform that
syndicates relevant content from Flooring America and Flooring Canada
member stores to consumers.

CASH (Customer Assessment Sales Helper): a sales professional
tool to help qualify customers and guide sales professionals to match
customers with the right product. CASH integrates with Flooring
America’s CRM system to enhance customer satisfaction. It delivers
real-time messaging, a budget builder and finance application.

My Floor Story: a recommendation and review app available for
consumers to rate their experience at FA/FC stores and to share with
others across their social channels. The app is available through the
Apple store and Android marketplace.

“Hands down this is the most exciting program that has been launched in
years,” said Brian Smith of Foulk’s Flooring America. “It has instantly
transformed the way in which we engage with customers from start to
finish, creating a better shopping experience, increasing referrals and
recommendations and earning the trust of the local community.”

Flooring America is a division of CCA Global Partners the nation’s
largest floor covering cooperative. With more than 550 independent,
locally-owned flooring retailers, Flooring America’s member stores work
hard every day to become the most recommended flooring stores in North
America. Flooring America’s independent retailers strive to make
customers deliriously happy by guiding, advising and finding the right
floor to make homes beautiful. We are the flooring store where friends
send friends for their news floors.